in Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (1986), 62(5), 1044-1047

In eight hyperprolactinemic amenorrheic women who had a microprolactinoma, LH secretion was examined by measuring its concentration in blood samples collected every 15 min for 6 h before and 8 days after ... [more ▼]

In eight hyperprolactinemic amenorrheic women who had a microprolactinoma, LH secretion was examined by measuring its concentration in blood samples collected every 15 min for 6 h before and 8 days after successful selective adenomectomy. Computer analysis was used for LH peak evaluation. In both circumstances, serum PRL and basal estradiol (E2) levels were also determined. Before operation, the number of LH peaks ranged from zero to one per 6 h in seven patients and was two per 6 h in the eighth patient. In all patients, serum PRL was normal on the eighth postoperative day, while E2 levels remained low, similar to the values usually found in the early follicular phase of the cycle in normal women. Postoperatively, mean LH levels were similar to preoperative levels, but there was a dramatic increase in the number of LH peaks (three to five per 6 h) in five of the eight patients. These observations confirm the impairment of LH pulsatility in hyperprolactinemiaand demonstrate that normalization of PRL levels by surgery can restore LH pulsatile secretion in certain women as early as the eighth day after operation in the absence of a significant change in serum E2 levels. Thus, the preoperative impaired pulsatility of LH secretion was probably a central effect of hyperprolactinemia. [less ▲]

in Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (1985), 61(3), 525-528

This retrospective study concerns 40 patients with an apparently nonsecretory pituitary adenoma who were operated on during an 11-yr period from 1971 to 1981. Among them, 6 men had elevated serum FSH ... [more ▼]

This retrospective study concerns 40 patients with an apparently nonsecretory pituitary adenoma who were operated on during an 11-yr period from 1971 to 1981. Among them, 6 men had elevated serum FSH levels. LH levels were normal in 5 and slightly elevated in 1. Testosterone levels were low in 2 patients and within normal limits in 2 others. Sexual impotency had developed from 6 months to 1 yr before surgery in all patients. Primary hypogonadism could be eliminated on clinical grounds (recent onset of hypogonadism, previous fertility of 5 of the 6, and postoperative improvement). After transsphenoidal adenomectomy, FSH levels returned to normal values in all, and clinical recovery occurred in most patients. Tumor tissue obtained at operation stained positively for the gonadotropins, but was negative for other pituitary hormones in all patients. The most probable explanation for these findings was that the tumors were responsible for the elevated FSH secretion. This explanation is supported by the immunocytochemical identification of gonadotropin-containing cells in the tumors. We conclude that these 6 men frm a series of 40 patients who presented with pituitary tumor but no GH, PRL, or ACTH hypersecretion had primary gonadotropinomas. [less ▲]

Human pituitary adenomas were fixed in glutaraldehyde and embedded in epon. Ultrathin sections were incubated either with anti-hGH, anti-hPRL or anti-hLH. They were incubated with second step goat anti ... [more ▼]

Human pituitary adenomas were fixed in glutaraldehyde and embedded in epon. Ultrathin sections were incubated either with anti-hGH, anti-hPRL or anti-hLH. They were incubated with second step goat anti-rabbit immunoglobulins linked to gold particles. Two PRL secreting adenomas, one GH and PRL secreting adenoma, one ACTH secreting adenoma and two non secreting adenomas were studied. The specificity and the limits of the method were discussed in relation with the results obtained in light microscopy with the PAP method. [less ▲]